


Together

by Kate_MacKay



Category: Jurassic World Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-04 03:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16338551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_MacKay/pseuds/Kate_MacKay
Summary: Owen, Claire, and Maisie recover from the events at the Lockwood estate and make plans for the future. The story begins during the rooftop showdown with the Indoraptor.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This story begins as Fallen Kingdom ends, with the only difference that I beat up Owen a little bit. I tend to write hurt/comfort and characters just aren't safe with me. And how DID Owen make it through all that with barely a scratch? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this.

CHAPTER ONE:

Owen hurt. Some of his skin sported burns from the lava. He had various cuts and bruises from running through the jungle with hot rocks raining down on him and from fighting various mercenaries at the auction. And now it felt like his shoulder was being pulled from its socket as he tried to keep himself and Maisie from falling off the roof. He felt his fingers slipping on the rain-slick rock of the carved rooftop ornament he clung to and briefly wondered which would be worse—falling to his death or being eaten by one of Henry Wu’s creations.

Suddenly, a metallic clanging and Claire’s voice distracted the Indoraptor. Owen was glad the dinosaur was no longer focused on him and Masie, but he didn’t want Claire anywhere near the animal. He summoned his strength and hauled himself and Maisie back to the rooftop, making sure the girl was on firm footing behind him.

Claire stood in the rain, the laser rifle tucked against her shoulder and a look of determination on her face. Owen met her blue eyes. Wordlessly, they devised a plan together. He knew he could die, but this was their only chance. Owen spread his arms. Claire aimed the laser at him, focusing the Indoraptor’s attention.

But then she hesitated. If this didn’t work…

Owen held her gaze. His protective instincts were in overdrive. He would do anything to save Claire and Maisie from the Indoraptor, including facing the dinosaur himself. He nodded almost imperceptibly. He was ready for whatever happened next.

Claire took a deep breath and pressed the red button triggering the sound.

Instantly, the Indoraptor snarled and leapt at Owen. He slid under the animal as it slashed its black, razor-sharp claws at him. He twisted to avoid them, but one raked across his ribs, cutting his shirt and easily slicing into skin and muscle. He slid over the glass roof and groaned as he slammed into a stone chimney.

Owen quickly turned, just in time to see the Indoraptor drop through the glass that could not support its weight. The brief flicker of victory shattered like the glass as the dinosaur somehow managed to grab one of the metal roof supports and drag itself back up.

The Indoraptor roared as it focused its attention back on Owen. He pushed himself to his feet, ready to face it with nothing more than his fists. He knew he would die, but maybe he could buy enough time for Claire and Maisie to escape.

Then a familiar call cut through the rainy night. Blue. And she wasn’t happy. Before the Indoraptor could move towards her alpha, Blue attacked. Owen watched helplessly as both dinosaurs fell through the glass roof.

Fearful of what he would see, Owen nevertheless rushed to the edge of the glass. He had seen all his other raptors die, but he and Blue had forged a special bond that would make her death even more heartbreaking. But he had to know. He had to see how this all ended.

Surprisingly, Blue managed to twist during the fall, causing the Indoraptor to be impaled fatally on the horns of the large triceratops skull in the exhibit hall. Unscathed, Blue jumped to the floor and announced her victory with a loud call before jogging away.

Maisie ran to Owen and gazed down at the dead Indoraptor. Then Claire limped over to join them. Owen met her eyes. He wasn’t sure what to say, how to tell her just how much he loved and respected her. And just as he opened his mouth to try, Zia and Franklin appeared in the room below.

“What the Hell!” Zia exclaimed upon seeing the carnage.

“Hey!” Owen called from above.

Franklin looked up and asked, “You good?”

Hesitating for a moment, Owen decided to lie, although he wasn’t very good at it. “Yeah. You?”

Franklin was honest. “Nope.”

Zia gestured towards the elevator. “Hey, we have a problem downstairs. I need you to come see this.”

 

* * *

 

“I can open the gates from here,” Claire said as soon as she assessed the situation with the cyanide gas. Her fingers quickly began pressing buttons, releasing the trapped dinosaurs from their cages.

“Claire, be careful,” Owen warned as he watched the scene unfold. “We're not on an island anymore.”

Claire’s hand hovered over the large red button that opened the main doors to the outside.

“Claire… You press that button, there is no going back.”

“We can't let them die,” she said, but still wasn’t able to press the button. It was agonizing, but she closed the plastic shield and looked down at the dying animals as tears spilled from her eyes.

Owen felt guilty condemning the dinosaurs to death, but also felt the burden of what it would mean to the world to release them. While he knew the gesture was inadequate for the situation, he placed a strong, comforting hand on Claire’s shoulder and she leaned into the touch.

Unexpectedly, alarms sounded as the outer doors slowly opened. Everyone turned towards the control console where Maisie stood, her hand still on the large red button.

“I had to. They’re alive… like me,” she explained.

While Owen understood the girl’s reasoning, he wasn’t sure how he felt about her action. The animals deserved life, they deserved freedom, but… Realist that he was, he stopped that line of thought. It was pointless to worry about the morality of the situation now that the dinosaurs were loose. This was the new reality and they had to learn to live with it. But it was a reality he wanted to face far from the Lockwood estate.

“Let’s get out of here,” he suggested.


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO:

Owen still hurt. The fighting was over, his adrenaline was draining away, but he couldn’t allow himself to rest yet. He was helping Claire down the large staircase at the front of the imposing mansion when he heard the familiar calls and clicks of Blue. Stepping in front of everyone else, he greeted the velociraptor and approached her slowly, extending his hand to her. She nuzzled against his palm and purred happily.

“It’s OK,” Owen told the others. “She won’t hurt us.” He brushed his hand against Blue’s rough, scaly skin. “Blue, come with me. We’ll take you to a safe place, OK?”

Blue seemed to consider this, but then she followed the direction of Owen’s eyes to a cage. She never again wanted to be imprisoned behind those cold metal bars and decided against her alpha’s offer. She rubbed against his hand, then turned and ran towards the forest. After one last glance back, she disappeared into the trees.

While it added to Owen’s pain, he understood. Blue was an intelligent creature who wanted and deserved her freedom. Maisie ran down the stairs and threw her arms around his waist. He was surprised, but immediately held the girl close. Claire limped down the steps and embraced them both.

“Owen?” Claire’s soft, questioning voice pulled his mind from his own pain and back to their current predicament.

“We need to get away from here and get your leg taken care of,” he said.

“And that scratch on your side,” Claire added. “Did you think I didn’t notice?”

Of course she would notice.

“We can’t go to the ER,” Owen stated. “Too many questions will be asked with wounds like these. Questions we don’t want to answer.”

“We don’t need an ER,” Zia noted. “I’m a doctor and I found this.” She lifted a large medical bag she had taken from the lab.

Franklin looked dubious. “You’re an animal doctor.”

“We’re all animals,” she retorted.

“What about me?” Maisie asked, clinging to Owen’s waist like a lifeline. “Please don’t leave me!”

“Don’t you want to be with family?” Claire asked.

“There was only Grandpa, Iris, and Mr. Mills. Grandpa is…” Maisie wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Iris left and Mr. Mills doesn’t really care about me.” She tightened her hold on Owen. “Don’t leave me!”

“What about your friends? And school?” Claire questioned gently.

“Iris taught me.”

Owen looked grim. “I doubt there’s any records of her existence. How would Lockwood have explained a clone?”

“So what do we do?” Claire asked.

“We’ll keep you safe, Maisie,” Owen decided. “Right now I want you to go with Franklin and pack yourself some clothes and whatever else you need. Franklin, you have five minutes.” He turned to the palaeovet. “Zia, do what you can for Claire’s leg. I’ll find us a vehicle.”

Owen ignored the fancy limos, luxury SUVs, and imported sports cars most of the auction participants had driven. They were far too flashy. He finally found a relatively new, nondescript Ford Explorer with the keys in the ignition. It was out of place on the ground of the Lockwood estate, but would be nicely inconspicuous anywhere else. He drove it back to the front of the mansion, where Franklin and Maisie were just leaving the house with a backpack. Sitting at the bottom of the front steps, Zia finished bandaging Claire’s leg.

Stepping out of the Explorer, Owen went to Claire and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get away from here. Soon this place is going to be crawling with cops and we don’t want to be around when they show up.”

“Not yet,” Claire vetoed firmly, glancing at his bloody shirt. “You’re taking care of everyone else. What about you?”

Reluctantly, Owen nodded. “Better bind it up, Zia.” He lifted his shirt so she could see the wound.

“This looks deep,” she commented with an unhappy expression.

“Stitch it up later,” Owen insisted. “I just want to get away from here.”

 

* * *

 

They decided to drive north from the estate and find a place to spend the night and properly tend to their various wounds. In the morning, Owen wanted to pick up his old Jeep Grand Wagoneer at the small airport they had left from what seemed like a lifetime ago. Claire stared out the window at the dark, rainy night as she mentally made a list of what they needed to do next.

She needed to talk to her colleagues at the DPG. The mission would be different now, but no less important. They would need a press release as soon as possible and try to manage the narrative of what had happened at the Lockwood estate.

She glanced into the back seat. Maisie had fallen asleep between Zia and Franklin, who were also both sleeping. Franklin snored softly. Maisie was another issue. Owen was right, there was likely no record of her. So they would have to create records. She wondered if Franklin could help with that. He had once mentioned hacking a government website on a college dare. Maybe…

“Claire…” Owen’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “We have to stop soon.”

Something in his voice sounded off. When the moonlight found its way through a break in the clouds and the thick forest canopy and she was finally able to get a good look at him, Claire was alarmed. Owen’s skin was unnaturally pale and a few beads of sweat ran down his face despite the chilly midnight air. She glanced down at his side. Through his torn shirt, she could see a damp, red-tinged spot had soaked through the bandage on the left side of his ribs.

“Owen?”

“I’m starting to feel the blood loss,” he explained.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Claire asked. She was upset and concerned, but managed to keep her voice to a harsh whisper so she wouldn’t wake the occupants of the back seat.

“Wasn’t feeling it earlier,” Owen replied matter-of-factly. “And we needed to put a few miles between us and the estate. We’ll stop at the next town with a motel.”


	3. Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE:

Owen parked the Explorer in the lot of the Evergreen Motel, one of two motels in a small town at the base of the mountains. It looked like it had been built in the 1960s, but it was obviously well-kept. The lawn was mowed, the blinking neon sign worked perfectly, and the building had a fresh coat of paint.

“Zia, Franklin, wake up,” Claire called into the back seat.

Franklin blinked blearily.

“Zia asked, “What’s going on?”

“We need to get a room,” Claire explained. “Actually two rooms, preferably adjoining, but you and Franklin need to get them.” She looked down at herself, then at Owen. “We don’t exactly look reputable right now.”

“OK,” Zia immediately agreed. “Come on, Franklin.”

“You need money?” Owen asked.

“No.” She showed him a thick roll of cash. “Someone dropped this on the floor in the auction room. The least those assholes can do is pay for a couple of rooms.”

Owen watched her walk with Franklin to the motel office, then closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the seat. Sleep tugged at him, but Maisie’s voice piped up.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re stopping for the night,” Claire replied. “We could all use some sleep.”

Then Zia and Franklin were coming back with a pair of keys.

 

* * *

 

Maisie went with Franklin and Zia when they opened the door to one of the rooms. She had never been in a motel before. She had never actually left the grounds of her grandfather’s estate. Or was he really her father? It was confusing. She would have to talk to Owen about it. He was smart and could help her sort it out. But that would have to wait. Owen looked and sounded really tired.

Moving slowly, Owen helped Claire out of the Explorer. Her leg had stiffened during the drive as her adrenaline drained away. He tried to provide as much support as possible, but he was also hurting and wasn’t sure who was helping whom to the motel room.

The pair of rooms was nothing luxurious, but they were clean. Claire sat on the edge of one of the beds and sighed at the comfortable softness. She almost laid back against the pillows, but knew if she did, she’d be asleep in an instant.

Franklin opened the door between the rooms and Zia carried in the large medical kit. Maisie followed them, looking around the room that was so small and so different from what she was used to.

Setting the medical bag on the unoccupied bed Zia asked, “So who’s first?”

“Claire,” Owen immediately answered.

Surprisingly, she didn’t argue.

“Franklin, bring me all the towels and fill up the ice bucket with warm water,” Zia ordered as she began to lay out the supplies she needed. She paused and cursed. Looking up and seeing Maisie, she apologized, then resumed looking through the bag. Her movements became more and more desperate as she searched through it again.

“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.

“Someone used this without restocking it,” Zia explained, her annoyance obvious. “There’s only one dose of lidocaine. One dose of antibiotics.” She shook a brown bottle and frowned. “Not much peroxide left. Three suture kits. Idiots should take better care of things like this.”

“Wait. Lidocaine is for numbing,” Claire said. “If there’s only one dose…” She looked at Owen.

He smiled wryly. “It means my day is about to get worse.”

“Owen, you can’t.”

“Well, I’m not about to have her jab a needle into you without anaesthetic.” He turned to Zia. “She’ll need the antibiotics, too. Puncture wounds have a big risk of infection, especially from animal claws.”

The palaeovet nodded. “He’s right about that, Claire.”

Owen bit back a groan as he knelt in front of Maisie, who had quietly watched the whole exchange. “I want you to go with Franklin and wait in the other room.”

Her eyes widened and she shook her head adamantly. “I want to stay with you.”

“You won’t be far away. Just in the other room,” he reasoned.

“Please don’t leave me. Grandpa… died. Iris left.” Tears spilled from Maisie’s eyes as she threw her arms around Owen’s neck and buried her face against his chest. Her voice was muffled by sobs and his shirt as she begged, “Please don’t lock me away and leave me, too! I don’t want you to leave!”

Owen glanced at Claire, hoping for some guidance, but she looked just as lost as he felt. So he relied on his instincts, which had always served him well. Gently embracing Maisie, he traced soothing patterns on her back. “I’m not leaving you,” he assured. “It’s just…” He paused. He suspected an expert in child psychology would tell him to downplay or sugarcoat things, but he believed a relationship, any relationship, should be based on honesty, trust, and respect.

Owen disentangled the girl from his neck and pushed her back far enough so her could look her in the eyes. “Maisie, Zia needs to fix up Claire and then me. There’s not enough medicine for both of us, so it’s going to hurt me. You don’t need to see that.”

“Can’t you get more medicine?”

“Not at this time of night and we can’t wait until morning,” Zia explained. “He’s still losing blood and needs to be stitched now or things could get much worse.”

“Are you going to…?” Maisie’s chin trembled as she tried to control her emotions. She couldn’t mask the stark fear in her brown eyes. “…Like Grandpa?”

“No. I just need some stitches and a good night of sleep.”

“So you’re not leaving?”

“Nope. You’re stuck with me.”

Maisie flashed a tentative smile of hope.

“You go with Franklin now. When Zia is done you can come back.”

The girl nodded and reluctantly followed Franklin into the adjoining room, casting a worried glance behind her.

Zia cut away Claire’s pant leg and the bandage she had applied earlier as she explained what she was about to do. “I’ll numb the area, clean it thoroughly, stitch it shut, and give you an injection of antibiotics. You shouldn’t feel anything but the pinch of the first injection and a little pressure as I clean things up. Are you ready?”

Claire nodded, although she looked anything but certain about that.

Owen sat beside her and took her small hand in his much larger one. He had always liked the softness of her hands. “Hey, eyes on me,” he said gently but insistently. “Look at me, not at what she’s doing.”

She complied, studying his face. She had always liked his green eyes. Usually they were lively with humour or sharply focused as he studied something intently. Now she saw the pain he was valiantly trying to hide.

“You look terrible, Owen,” she commented.

“Damn, one fight with a genetically engineered dinosaur and I’m no longer the best looking man you’ve ever seen,” he deadpanned, then let a small smile touch his lips.

Claire couldn’t help but return the smile. “I missed you, Owen.”

“I’m sorry I was an ass,” he apologized.

“I’m sorry I can be so demanding,” she added.

They leaned towards each other, eyes closing as their lips met. Unlike their earlier kiss of frantic desperation as the Indoraptor chased Maisie through the mansion, this one was slow and gentle. Owen took his time to make sure Claire understood his feelings and she was happy to let him know she felt the same way.

“I’m sorry to interrupt.” Zia tried to keep the amusement out of her voice. “I’m done.” She went to the bathroom to clean up.

Claire looked down at her leg. A thick gauze pad was taped over the wound. “You distracted me!” she accused as she turned her attention back to Owen.

He flashed a smug smile she found both endearing and annoying. Owen stroked her cheek with a callused finger. “It worked.” He stole another quick kiss. “And I meant everything.”

“Including that you can be an ass?”

“I said _everything_ , didn’t I?”

Zia returned and cleared her throat to get their attention. “You can update the status of your relationship later.” She fixed her gaze on Owen. “It’s your turn, big guy. Get your shirt off while I get some clean water.”

Reluctantly, he complied, unable to stifle a groan as he pulled off his Henley and tossed it aside.

Claire gasped. The bandage Zia had applied earlier was soaked with blood. Dark bruises and a few scrapes and burns marred his torso. He was battered. She gently touched one of the bruises on his chest. “Did the Indoraptor do this?”

“The Indoraptor, the mercs at the auction, the volcano, that asshole Weaver and his tranq rifle… I lost track of who did what.”

Zia set the ice bucket of warm water on the bedside table. “Are you ready?”

"No,” Owen replied honestly. “But you better get it done.”

After cutting away the bloody bandage, Zia ordered Owen to lay down. Claire eased him back so his head rested on her lap. Her stomach turned when she glanced at the long slash that cut deep into the muscle of his ribs.

He followed her eyes. “Looks worse than it is.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Owen.”

His body tensed and he closed his eyes as Zia began to clean away the blood. She frowned. The wound was longer and deeper than she initially thought. She wished she had more antibiotics and lidocaine. Risk of infection was high and getting that many sutures without anaesthetic was not going to be pleasant for him. She briefly thought about trying to find a drugstore, but quickly vetoed the idea. At this time of night in a small, rural town nothing would be open and she didn’t want to waste time looking for a bigger town with a 24-hour drugstore. Owen had already lost too much blood.

Molten fire erupted in Owen’s side when Zia, lacking any other disinfectant, poured alcohol onto the raw wound. His eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly as he sucked in a sharp breath and exhaled a curse. Through clenched teeth, he growled, “A warning would have been nice.”

Claire gently but firmly pulled him back to rest his head on her lap again.

“I ran out of peroxide,” Zia explained as she finished cleaning the wound. “And anticipation is supposed to make pain worse.”

“Bullshit. I don’t like surprises.”

“Fair enough.” Picking up a needle and silk, Zia warned, “I’m going to start suturing now. There’s going to be a lot of them.”

Owen swallowed hard. “OK.” He closed his eyes again.

Claire saw his jaw clench as Zia placed the first stitch. She gently ran her fingers through his hair as he tried to breathe through the pain. Beads of sweat appeared on his face and chest as he forced himself to remain still for the procedure.

“Halfway done,” Zia informed.

Not trusting his voice, Owen grunted an acknowledgement.

Claire continued running her fingers through his hair, doing what little she could to bring him comfort. After what seemed like an eternity, Zia announced she was done as she taped gauze over the long line of stitches. But she wasn’t completely finished. She prodded the darkest bruise on his side.

“Please don’t,” Owen objected without opening his eyes.

“You might have some cracked ribs,” the palaeovet informed.

“They’ll heal,” He replied. “Not much you can do about them.”

“True.” Zia began putting away the medical supplies. “I’m going to get cleaned up. Should I tell Maisie she can see you?”

Claire nodded. “Thank you, Zia.” She turned her attention back to Owen, easing from her position holding him. After tucking a pillow under his head, she picked up a washcloth and wiped the sweat from his face and chest. “Owen?”

“Let’s not do that again,” he replied as he forced his eyes open. The pull of unconsciousness was strong. He fought it, wanting to be awake for Maisie. Summoning his rapidly waning strength, Owen tried to sit up. His wound vetoed the movement, stabbing him with a renewed round of agony.

“Owen, lay still,” Claire ordered, placing a firm hand on his chest.

“Blood loss… is kicking my ass,” he complained unhappily.

“Which is why you should lay still.”

“Claire…” His eyes slipped shut. He murmured her name again as unconsciousness claimed him.

Gently touching his neck, Claire felt the reassuring beat of his heart under her fingers.

“What happened?” Maisie asked, standing at the door between the rooms. Tears pooled in her eyes. “Is he…”

“Sleeping,” Claire quickly replied. “Come and see for yourself.”

Maisie approached tentatively. She touched his hand and was comforted by his warmth and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. “Is it bad?

“He’s strong. He’ll be fine after he gets some rest.” Claire studied the girl, who looked as tired as she felt. “I think you and I could use some sleep, too.”

“Here? With you?”

Claire gestured to the second bed. “That one’s yours. We’ll be right here. Wake us up if you need something."


	4. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR:

Owen and Maisie were still asleep when Claire awoke in the morning. Not wanting to disturb them, she quietly slipped from bed and went to the other room, where she could hear the murmur of Franklin and Zia talking. Her leg was stiff and she couldn’t hide her limp, but she was surprised it didn’t hurt more.

Together, they discussed their next move. Zia and Franklin wanted to return to the city and their work with the DPG. Claire agreed. The DPG needed to issue a press release concerning the Lockwood estate incident and define their mission in the world that now existed.

“I’ll get a new phone and stay in contact with you,” Claire said.

“Wait, you’re not coming with us?” Franklin asked.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea right now,” she replied. “We could be accused of kidnapping, even though Maisie has no one else to go to and I don’t think there’s any record of her existence. Until we figure out that situation, it might be best to stay out of sight at Owen’s place.”

Zia agreed, then looked at Franklin. “Can’t you help with that? Use those computer wizard skills to find what records exist, or make some?”

“I probably could, but I could get into big trouble for that.”

“Only if you get caught, so do a good job.”

Franklin looked like he was about to object, but Claire interrupted. “We’ll talk about that option later. Right now we have more immediate issues. Like breakfast.” She looked down at her torn and stained clothes. “And something to wear. How much money do you have left, Zia?”

“A few thousand.” She fished the wad of bills from her pocket. “It’s nothing but hundreds. I guess scumbag animal traffickers are good for something.”

“Why don’t the two of you get us some food and clothes,” Claire suggested.

“Sure.” Zia nodded towards the other room. “I bet he’s a bacon and eggs sort of guy.”

“Yes. And black coffee.”

“Claire?” Maisie called from the doorway between the two rooms. “Owen isn’t waking up.”

“He lost a lot of blood,” Zia explained. “It’s not surprising he’s sleepy.”

“We’ll let him rest a little longer,” Claire added.

“But I don’t think he’s resting,” the girl stated. “He keeps talking, but he’s not awake.”

Claire immediately limped into the other room with Zia and Franklin following.

Owen lay tangled in the blankets, shifting restlessly and muttering unintelligible words. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Claire pressed a hand to his forehead.

“Owen! You’re burning up!”

He mumbled her name, but didn’t open his eyes.

Zia bent over him and peeled away the gauze taped over the wound. His skin was swollen and angry-looking around the long line of black stitches.

“Can you help him?” Maisie asked, looking from Owen to Zia and Claire.

“Yes,” Zia replied tentatively, thinking about what she needed. Her voice held more confidence when she said, “Yes, I can. Come on, Franklin. We have to find a drugstore and get some antibiotics.” She picked up the keys to the Explorer.

“How are you going to get drugs for him?” Franklin asked.

“I’m a licensed vet. I’m allowed to write prescriptions.”

“For animals.”

“Plenty of animal drugs work on people, too.” Zia rummaged through the medical kit and found a bottle of ibuprofen. She handed it to Claire. “If you can, get him to drink some water and take two of these. If he complains the pain is bad, you can give him two more.”

 

* * *

 

“Maisie, fill the ice bucket with cool water and bring it here, please,” Claire instructed.

The girl eagerly complied, happy to do something that could help. She set the ice bucket on the bedside table, then studied Owen. His face was flushed with fever. “He’s really sick, isn’t he?”

Claire nodded. “But we’re going to take good care of him. Once Zia brings him medicine, he’ll get better. Why don’t you bring him a glass of water? He’ll be thirsty when he wakes up.”

Sitting on the bed next to Owen, Claire wet a washcloth in the cool water and dabbed it against the heated skin of his brow. She wet it again and wiped it across the muscled ridges of his chest and abdomen, carefully avoiding the inflamed wound.

Owen groaned softly and his eyes fluttered as he fought his way back to consciousness. “Claire…” he rasped, finally forcing his eyes open and blinking up at her.

“Owen.” She pressed the washcloth against the side of his face and he sighed at the gentle touch. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” he replied with his usual blunt honesty. Seeing Maisie standing silently behind Claire, he apologized. “Sorry, gotta stop swearing like a sailor.”

“Are you thirsty?”

“Yeah.”

Claire helped Owen sit up, tucking some pillows behind him. The movement hurt more than he wanted to admit. He clutched at the wound and clamped his eyes shut as he waited for the pain to subside. Claire’s blue eyes were filled with concern when he finally looked at her again. She held a glass of water to his lips.

Owen tried to glare at her as he took the glass. “I’m not helpless, Claire.”

“But you are stubborn.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He sipped the water.

“You need to take these.” Claire gave him two pills. “Ibuprofen. Zia and Franklin are getting some antibiotics.”

“Good.” Owen swallowed the pills and gulped down the rest of the water, then set the glass aside. He winced when even that small movement pulled uncomfortably at his wound and stitches.

Claire dabbed the washcloth against his forehead again. It felt good against his overheated skin.

“Thanks, Claire.” He felt absolutely miserable. Even when he didn’t move the wound throbbed and the fever burned uncomfortably, but her tender touched eased things just a little.

Behind Claire, Maisie stood quietly. She was stoically bearing all the recent trauma—the events with the Indoraptor, the shocking revelation about her heritage, leaving everything she had ever known… She was bravely facing it, but Owen could see the fear and uncertainty in her dark eyes. “Come here,” he invited, holding out a hand and trying to smile reassuringly.

Maisie approached hesitantly. She trusted Owen, but wasn’t sure what he wanted.

“Are you OK, Maisie?” he asked.

She nodded.

“You know you can tell me the truth,” He encouraged.

“What’s going to happen? Where will I live? Am I in trouble for the dinosaurs?” The questions spilled from her mouth.

“The trouble with the dinosaurs started a long time ago, long before you let them out. What will happen next…” Owen glanced at Claire. “I’m hoping we can figure that out together.”

Claire smiled fondly at Owen, regretting the ridiculous argument that had ended their relationship and remembering all the reasons she loved him. He could be hard-headed and sarcastic, but he was also very caring and fiercely protective of those he loved. “I was thinking we should go to your place while we figure things out.”

“Please, can we do that?” Maisie asked, looking between the two of them.

Owen nodded, but knew things wouldn’t be easy. There were plenty of problems they would have to face, from the mundane task of finishing the cabin to figuring out how not to be accused of kidnapping Maisie.

Claire knew it, too. “We’ll make it work,” she stated with determination. “This time we _will_ stick together, and for more than just survival.”

Before Owen could reply, Zia and Franklin burst into the room, their arms filled with bags of food, clothes, and medicine.


	5. Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE:

“Take two more in four hours,” Zia instructed after Owen swallowed some of the antibiotics she had brought. “They should start working soon.”

“Good… Because this sucks.” Owen gingerly lowered himself back on his pillows and closed his eyes.

“I think we better get these rooms for another night,” Claire decided as she sat next to Owen, running her fingers soothingly through his hair. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

 

* * *

 

Owen felt someone gently shaking his shoulder. He mumbled his annoyance and desire for more sleep, but the shaking didn’t stop. As sleep cleared from his brain, he recognised Maisie’s voice.

“Owen… Owen, please wake up.”

He blinked a few times and rubbed a hand across his face before his eyes focused in the darkness. Maisie stood next to the bed looking down at him. She had been crying.

Owen was instantly fully awake. “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“I had a bad dream. And I was thinking.”

Gritting his teeth, Owen managed to raise himself to his elbows and looked at Claire. She was peacefully sleeping beside him. “Let’s not wake her,” he softly instructed. She had tenderly comforted him throughout the day as he battled the fever while she herself should have been resting her leg. She definitely deserved a night of undisturbed sleep. “We can talk over there.” He gestured to the slightly worn armchair in the corner of the room.

With a hand pressed against his wound, he carefully extracted himself from bed. He grabbed a t-shirt from the pile of clothes Zia and Franklin had bought and pulled it on, regretting the movement as it reminded him of all the places he hurt. Biting back a curse as he stubbed his toe against the edge of a small table, Owen made his way across the dark room and sat in the chair.

Maisie immediately climbed into his lap and curled against him, her small hands clutching at his shirt.

“Do you want to talk about the dream?”

Maisie sniffled a little, then whispered, “I was alone… all alone. It was scary.”

Owen nodded seriously. “Yes, it is. But you know we won’t leave you all alone.”

“I don’t want _you_ to leave me, Owen.” She seemed to cling more tightly to him. “You were really sick and I don’t want to be alone and…”

“Maisie,” Owen interrupted gently. “I’m getting better now.” It wasn’t a lie. While he still felt like crap, at least he was no longer fevered. “And Claire and I will stick with you and we’ll all take care of each other. Sound like a plan?”

She nodded against his chest. After a long pause, she looked up at him through the shadows and asked, “Owen, what am I?”

He didn’t answer immediately. That was definitely _not_ a question he expected or an issue he was ready to address. Stalling for time, he replied, “What do you mean?”

“Mr. Mills said I was a clone. I saw the picture of my mother in my grandfather’s book. Am I really her? Is my grandfather really my father? Am I me?”

Owen held Maisie close and let out a long, slow breath before trying to answer. “You know about twins, right? Identical twins?” He waited for her acknowledgement. “They have exactly the same genetic code, but they’re not the same people. Each twin has their own thoughts, experiences, dreams… You are you, Maisie, and that’s just how I like it. Got it, kid?”

Maisie nodded.

“You ready to go back to sleep?”

She nodded again and snuggled against his warm chest. The chair wasn’t very comfortable, Maisie’s knee was prodding one of his bruises, and his wound throbbed an angry cadence, yet Owen was feeling good and didn’t want to move.

 

* * *

 

Claire woke as the first lemon light of dawn found its way around the edges of the window shades. She felt for Owen, but the bed beside her was cold and empty. Concerned, she sat up suddenly.

Owen met her eyes from where he sat with Maisie curled contentedly on his lap. He lifted a finger to his lips.

Quietly, Claire moved to his side, her limp already less pronounced than the day before. She looked questioningly at Owen.

“She had a nightmare,” he whispered.

Claire touched the back of the girl’s head and stroked her hair with gentle sympathy. “That can’t be comfortable for you, Owen. Let’s get both of you back to bed for a little more sleep.”

Despite protests from his body, Owen stood up with Maisie in his arms. She stirred slightly, but didn’t awaken. He laid her on her bed and Claire tucked the blankets around her.

Owen sighed gratefully as he sank back into the comfort of the bed he shared with Claire. She sat beside him, pressing a cool hand to his forehead. She was relieved he was no longer burning with fever.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Yeah. Somewhat.” He felt a lot better when Claire slipped under the covers and curled against him.


	6. Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX:

Owen definitely didn’t feel 100% in the morning. He doubted he was even at 75%, but the pain had subsided to a manageable level and everyone was ready to leave the motel. After breakfast, they drove to the airport to pick up Owen’s old Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

“We’ll let you know what’s happening at the DPG,” Zia promised. “Then we can figure out what to do next.”

“No one really knows what happened on the island or at the estate,” Claire stated.

Owen warned, “It might be best to keep it that way. Or at least some of it.”

Franklin looked at Maisie and immediately nodded. Zia hesitated for a moment, but then also agreed.

Claire added, “We didn’t want this to happen, but it doesn’t change the fact that those animals are alive. They didn’t ask to be made, but now that they are, they deserve to live, but so do we.”

“So the DPG will work for both,” Zia declared.

Owen stood quietly while they talked. He would support Claire and her work, but he doubted peaceful coexistence of humans and dinosaurs would be possible. He loved the animals, especially his, but he was a realist.

“I’ll do what I can from Owen’s place,” Claire explained. “I’ll drive to the city when I can, but we need to get Maisie settled first. That’s a priority.”

“Of course,” Zia agreed.

Claire hugged the palaeovet and then Franklin. Owen shook hands with both.

“Thanks for taking care of Claire and me,” he said. “And just remember, you’re driving a stolen vehicle. Be careful and ditch it as soon as you get to the city.”

Franklin nodded, looking as though he couldn’t get rid of it soon enough.

 

* * *

 

“You live here?” Maisie asked as she climbed out of the Jeep and closed the door.

“Yeah,” Owen replied. “I know it’s not much compared to…”

“It’s great!” she exclaimed, taking in the mountains, the calm water of the lake, the nearby forest. Running to the model of the cabin, she asked, “Is this going to be our house?”

Owen looked at Claire questioningly.

She nodded and smiled. “Yes. I’ll have to go to the city sometimes, but this will be our home.”

Hearing Claire calling the house he was building home made Owen feel a surge of both happiness and pride. He leaned down next to Maisie and pointed to part of the model house. “This can be your room.” He looked up at Claire. “And I can add a room here to make you an office.”

“That’s a lot of work, Owen,” she replied.

“You’re worth it,” he stated simply as he stood next to her.

Claire leaned into him and slipped an arm around his waist. He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder as they watched Maisie study the model cabin.

Owen still hurt. They all still hurt in many ways and the future was more dangerous and uncertain than ever. But Owen and Claire savoured the fact they were together again and shared a tender, lingering kiss. Wordlessly, they offered apologies and forgiveness for past mistakes while promising each other a future of support and unwavering love. When they broke apart, Owen noticed Maisie smiling at them. He gestured for her to join them and they gathered her into their embrace.

Together they would help each other heal from their physical wounds and the trauma of the recent events. Together, they would face whatever challenges the future held.

 ~The End~

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I would especially like to thank those of you who left kudos and comments. It’s nice to know what readers think about my stories.
> 
> I’m headed out of town for the next eleven days. I’m presenting the recent research my husband and I have been working on at two different conferences. We’re driving to both, even though they are 1500 miles apart so I can stop along the way and finish the last bit of fieldwork needed for my upcoming nonfiction book. By the time we get home we’ll have driven something like 4000 miles round-trip. It’s going to be a very busy next week and a half. I do have another Jurassic World story written that I will post when I get back.


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